Meralco PowerGen Corporation (MGEN) said its affiliate’s 210-megawatt (MW) Sarangani Energy Corporation (SEC) coal-fired power plant remains offline following the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck parts of Mindanao on June 8, after initial inspections identified significant damage to critical coal handling and jetty facilities.

In a June 10 update, MGEN said both generating units of the Maasim, Sarangani-based plant remain under shutdown while structural, electrical, mechanical, boiler, and turbine inspections continue.

The facility was manually shut down as a precautionary measure following the earthquake and subsequent aftershocks. Plant personnel were also evacuated from the main control building in accordance with emergency response procedures and tsunami advisories.

Initial assessments found significant damage to the plant’s coal handling system and jetty facilities, including the ship unloader used to receive fuel deliveries. MGEN said the affected facilities have been rendered temporarily inoperable and will require restoration before normal operations can resume.

The company has not provided a timeline for restarting the plant, saying detailed inspections and integrity verification activities remain ongoing across critical systems.

Beyond the generating units themselves, restoration efforts are also being complicated by damage to supporting infrastructure and transmission facilities.

SEC said it is coordinating with relevant stakeholders to restore affected facilities and transmission connections, while implementing alternative arrangements to complete the unloading of coal cargo deliveries that were interrupted by the earthquake. The company added that it continues to maintain sufficient coal inventory while recovery efforts are underway.

Inspection activities are also continuing on 69-kilovolt (kV) facilities maintained by South Cotabato II Electric Cooperative (SOCOTECO II), while all 138-kV transmission lines remain de-energized pending clearance and energization approval from the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP).

Despite the damage reported in Sarangani, MGEN said it has received no reports of injuries among employees across its thermal power generation operations.

“Our immediate concern is the safety and well-being of the communities affected by this event, particularly our colleagues, partners, and stakeholders in impacted areas. We continue to monitor developments closely and are coordinating with site teams and partners as assessments progress,” said MGEN Thermal Chief Operating Officer Arnel L. Santos.

The company added that inspections and validations at its facilities in Panay and Cebu remain ongoing, although initial assessments indicate no impact on personnel, facilities, or operations.

MGEN said personnel safety and operational resilience remain its top priorities as recovery efforts continue in affected areas.

“We remain focused on supporting our teams and partners on the ground while continuing to assess operational conditions. We stand with the people and communities of General Santos, Sarangani, and surrounding areas during this difficult time,” Santos added.

MGEN said it will continue coordinating with affiliate companies, transmission operators, and site teams as inspections progress and additional information becomes available.

How can the power sector further strengthen the resilience of critical generation and fuel-handling infrastructure against major natural disasters?

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